In his youth, Joe Loya robbed more than a dozen banks and spent seven years in prison. Today he's on the right side of crime, living a solid life as a father, husband, a writer and performer. During the January First Thursday event, Loya will discuss how taking ownership of his story, refusing to accept people's limited expectations of him, and expressing himself through writing helped him turn his life around. Author of "The Man Who Outgrew his Prison Cell: Confessions of a Bank Robber", Loya will also share tips on how to really get deep into your own story so you can become a more effective storyteller.

Joe Loya's idyllic childhood came to an abrupt end when his mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness. In the two years before her death, Joe's extremely religious father became increasingly violent toward his two young sons--a contradiction that haunted Joe for years. Then, at age sixteen, Joe retaliated during a particularly severe beating and stabbed his father in the neck. For Joe, this was the starting point of a life of crime, and after holding up his twenty-fourth bank, he was arrested and served seven years in prison. He continued his criminal behavior behind bars and was eventually placed in solitary confinement. Alone in his cell for two years, Joe was finally able to forgive his father, finding clarity, cultural insight, and redemption through writing.